Leishmaniasis a parasitic disease that have been detected in Pakistan, nearly 30,000 cases exposed in the last six months. The disease is caused by protozoan parasites of Leishmania species.
These parasites are transmitted to human bodies by the bite of infected female sandflies. Over 90 sandfly species are known to transmit Leishmania parasites.
The disease most commonly affects the skin, and is more common in tropical areas, affecting countries across the equatorial belt.
The dreadful disease occurred in three forms. The first one look like skin ulcers and can take several months or a year to heal. The second form is affects the mucus glands such as nose and mouth. Whereas, the third and deadliest form of the disease is ‘black fever’ that damages internal organs.
Major risk factors associated with this disease is malnutritio and poverty. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also lists population mobility where non-immune people move to infected areas or forests and climate change where fluctuations in temperature and rainfall can change the leishmania developmental cycle as the major reasons.
The parasitic disease could be cured by the WHO-certified insect repellent icaridin, also known as picaridin and mosquito nets, especially when sprayed with insecticide.